Los Angeles votes to reopen its Office of Immigration Affairs

With the prospects of federal immigration reform passing this year, the Los Angeles City Council on Friday voted to reopen a city Office of Immigration Affairs to help immigrants through the new processes.

"This will put Los Angeles at the front of the line in dealing with providing a pathway to citizenship," Councilman Eric Garcetti said prior to the City Council's 11-0 vote to re-establish the office.

Los Angeles had an office dealing with immigrants in the 1980s, but it was eventually closed down.

Garcetti said the city needs to be prepared to help local immigrants get through any new process that is developed.

"This is a city that has welcomed immigrants," Garcetti said. "It was immigrants who established this town. Los Angeles has become a crossroads for the world.

"What we need to do is have this office become a one-stop shop on the pathway to citizenship. "

Councilman Dennis Zine, who had served as chairman of immigration issues for the National League of Cities, said if the federal legislation is approved it will help immigrants become part of society.

"We need to be prepared to deal with the system that is developed," Zine said. "We have a huge immigrant population here in Los Angeles and they will be looking to us to help them. "

Councilman Ed Reyes asked that consideration be given to creating a task force to look at related issues, such as housing, transportation and employment to help the immigrants.

Garcetti said any new program developed by the federal government will present challenges and the city needs to be able to provide assistance.

"We need this to succeed because Los Angeles succeeds only when its immigrants succeed," Garcetti said. "We must take action at the local level to make sure immigrant reform is successful. "